Steps to Spiritual Maturity: How We Grow up in Christ What does it take to grow up and become spiritually mature?

Why do some Christians not grow as they should? God's word presents steps we can take toward growth and spiritual maturity by Bible study patience and diligent practice o! good works" Introduction: People understand the concept of growth in the physical development of humans, and we know why it is important. Babies are immature physically and mentally, but we expect them to develop. If they don't, there is a problem. My best buddy in high school did not grow and might have been nearly a midget. But in his senior year, doctors gave him shots to make him grow. Spiritual growth is a similar concept but is far more important. rowth is development or improvement toward a goal called !maturity! "or, in the Bible, !perfection!#. $hen one is !born again! as a child of od, he is spiritually immature. %s time passes, he should develop the &ualities or abilities which the Bible says characteri'e the mature. % congregation matures as individual members mature. Many (criptures describe the need to grow and mature spiritually: )phesians *:+*,+, - Be no longer children, but grow up in .hrist. / 0eter 1:+2 - but grow in the grace and knowledge of our 3ord and (avior 4esus .hrist. / 5hessalonians +:1 - 5he 5hessalonians grew exceedingly in faith. 0hilippians +:6 - 0aul prayed for their love to abound more and more. Many problems result when members fail to grow: some go back to the world, others cause strife because of ignorance or become stumblingblocks because of irregular attendance, worldliness, or indifference. The purpose of this lesson is to study the steps each Christian should take to grow spiritually. 4ust as a baby needs to do certain things to grow physically, so .hristians need certain kinds of activities to grow spiritually. $hen members don't grow, it is because they lack one or more of these. #" $ %&S#'& () G')W $" We Will *e+er Grow ,nless We Want to Grow In the physical realm, children W !T to grow. !I want to grow up to be 7ust like Mommy89addy8Michael 4ordan...! !I can't wait till I'm +: so I can drive.! 0arents and kids become so excited when kids learn something new - the first step, first word, draw picture, etc. )veryone wants them to develop new abilities. 0arents sometimes use this to encourage children. $hen 5im was small, he wanted to drink milk because Bill Buckner ".ubs' first baseman# advertised it. "ikewise, in spiritual matters, Christians must W !T to grow. + 0eter /:/ - 9esire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (ome seem to like being spiritual babies. 5hey don't want to grow. It's easy to be a baby - no responsibility. ;thers feed you, clothe you, change your diaper. In the church, you don't have to teach, rebuke sin, or do work. It's a free ride< But being a baby is not the goal of life. $e are born babies so we can grow up and be productive and useful. 3ikewise, we are born again, so we can become mature .hristians, actively serving the 3ord. ;ne of the conditions for becoming a child of od is =)0)>5%>.). ;ne must determine to turn from sin and ; 5; $;=? in od's vineyard. 5hen one must bring forth the @=AI5( of repentance. 5his will lead us to grow and improve in od's work. ;therwise, we have not accomplished our purpose for becoming children of od. + 0eter /:/+ - 4esus set an example for us, and we should follow in Bis steps. $e should ask ourselves, !9on't I want to grow up to be spiritually strong like 4esusC! B" We Must Maintain (his %esire to Grow" Some members who once wanted to grow, may lose that desire. 5hey may start off on fire for the 3ord, but lose their 'eal. 5hey develop a spirit of indifference or negligence. ;thers develop a level of maturity and stagnate. 5hey are satisfied, thinking no more growth is needed.

The Scriptures teach that growth is always needed. 0hilippians 1:+/-+* - )ven 0aul, as mature as he was, did not consider himself to have achieved perfection "maturity# such that he could cease striving to improve. Be forgot past achievements "and failures# and pressed on to greater accomplishments. Matthew /::1+-1, - 0eter thought he had reached a level where he would never deny 4esus. But that very night he denied Bim three times. + .orinthians +D:+/ - 5herefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. .hristians never reach the point we are so mature that we cannot fall. ;ne of the main reasons .hristians do not grow is that they do not see the >))9 for growing. 5hey have no desire to work and serve to the full extent of their ability. $hen people develop a burning hunger and thirst to work for the 3ord, then they will develop the other steps they need to grow. 9o you have that burning desire to accomplish more for the 3ordC Bave you set specific goals of work you want to accomplish for od, improvements to make, new levels to reachC ##" *),'#SHM&*( $" We *eed Spiritual -ood !rom God's Word" child cannot grow physically without proper food. ood parents are concerned about proper nutrition. 5hey want children to eat what is good, not bad for them. $e are touched by pictures of children starving due to poverty. Most children $%>5 nourishment. Babies cry for food. ;nce as a child I got so hungry I cried, and my mother felt really bad. )ven adults know we need food, and don't like to go long without it. $e want it every day, regularly, several times a day. "ikewise spiritually we cannot grow without feeding on #od$s Word. + 0eter /:/ - %s newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. / 0eter 1:+2 - row in the grace and ?>;$3)9 ) of our 3ord and (avior 4esus .hrist. Matthew *:* - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of od. E)ph. *:+,F Matt. ,::G B" (o Get (his *ourishment We Must Study the Bible and $ttend Church Meetings" Scriptures show the need for regular nourishment. Bebrews ,:++-+* - .hristians were rebuked for not growing as they should have, because they had not studied. 5ime and again members fall away or are spiritual midgets because they do not eat properly. %cts +H:++ - Bereans were able to determine whether truth was taught because they searched the (criptures 9%I3I. $e need =) A3%= nourishment. 0salm +:+,/ - Meditate on od's word day and night. .hildren and adults need physical food regularly, and get very upset without it. But are we content to go for days at a time without feeding on od's wordC E++6:*H,*2,6,-66F 4osh +:2G 9o we make use of the opportunities the church provides for nourishmentC I never ceased to be ama'ed when the church provides a spiritual feast, and members choose to do other things. Bow often do we miss the regular meals provided for our belliesC Take this test to check your spiritual nourishment. Bow much time did you spend this week watching 5JC Bow much time watching sports or entertainment, or reading the paper, maga'ines, etc.C Bow much time did you spend on some hobby or outside interest, that may not be immoral but is not necessaryC Bow many hours did you spend studying your BibleC Bow many services of the church did you attendC Bow many did you miss that you could have attendedC $hich do you nourish the best: your spirit or your bodyC %re you feeding your mind on od's word or pleasuresC .hristians need regular nourishment from od's word to grow. ###" &.&'C#S& $*% /'$C(#C& $" &0ercise and /ractice $re &ssential to /hysical %e+elopment" thletes % musicians know they must e&ercise and practice to improve.

9eveloping skills re&uires continual repetition: playing a song, throwing pitches, shooting baskets. %thletes run, lift weights, and practice hour after hour in order to grow strong and develop endurance. Illustration: % man once had an apartment next to a professional cello player. Be thought it must be exciting to play in an orchestra. 5hen he listened as the man practiced the scales, exercises, and songs endlessly. Children practice skills over and over to learn them. .hildren learning to walk try again and again. 5hey are proud to learn a new word, then they use it till they drive you cra'y< 5hey want to play the same thing over and over: play the same tape recording, put the clothes on a doll. 0arents encourage children to repeat what they must learn: drill math facts, spelling, reading, piano. 5hey get tired, but we encourage them because that's how they learn. !0ractice makes perfect! - or at least it promotes improvement. B" &0ercise and /ractice $re &ssential to Spiritual Growth" Scriptures' Bebrews ,:+* - 5hose who are of full age, by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. rowth re&uires exercise as well as nourishment. + 5imothy *:H - )xercise yourself toward godliness. 3ike children, athletes, and musicians, we must work again and again at applying Bible principles to become effective in the 3ord's work. pplications' 5o learn to 5)%.B, we must do it repeatedly: teach your children, home studies, Bible classes, preach sermons, again and again. 5o learn to 3)%9 (I> I> , practice songs at home, sing with your family, lead during church meetings over and over. 5o understand the BIB3), study it again and again, talk to others, drill yourself, memori'e. et in and dig. 5o learn to 0=%I, do it over and over. ?ids may not be good at activities at first, but parents encourage them to do it over and over. 3ikewise, older members must encourage the newer ones to use their talents. 5hey may not be skilled at first, but they learn by doing. $e need to encourage teachers, preachers, and song leaders. 9on't complain. (urely don't stay home. 5hey need the practice< #1" (#M& $*% /$(#&*C& By definition, growth re&uires 5IM). It is progress and development as time passes. (everal important lessons follow: $" %on't &0pect to 'each 2our Goal )+ernight" Children do not become full(grown instantaneously. %t birth they are so small you can hold them in a little basket. (oon they are outgrowing new clothes every month. )ventually they can wear their parents' clothes or even larger. But it takes time. (ometimes children become impatient. !I can't wait till I'm +2 "or /+#.! $e say, !5ake your time. It will come soon enough.! 5ime passes and, sure enough, what they were waiting for has come and gone, and they're looking back wondering how the time passed so fast< "ikewise spiritually, do not e&pect maturity overnight. 4ames +:* - 5o become perfect and mature "entire#, lacking nothing, we must have patience. (ome new-born .hristians want to know everything and do everything right away. 5hey may not be willing to take the 5IM) to (5A9I and 9)J)3;0 ability. Iet they want to be 7ust like the mature members - and want other members to treat them with the same respect that they do mature members - before they have taken time to grow. (ometimes older members are impatient with new members. $e don't understand why new converts have trouble with some basic concepts. 5hen sometimes these new members explain, !I never was really taught what the BIB3) said before.! 5hey have no background in the (criptures, and it takes 5IM) to grow. =emember that people who may be mature today did not get that way overnight. It took years of study and practice. %nd new converts will not become mature overnight. It will take time.

>ew members should not get discouraged and give up. ;lder members should not be impatient or overly demanding. =emember how our children took time to grow, and how we had to show patience with their immature ways as they grew. But growth will come as long as people are trying and we give them time. B" %on't Become %iscouraged by Mistakes and 'ebukes" Children make many mistakes and must often be told they are wrong. Bow often does a child fall while learning to walkC 5hey fall again and again, gathering bumps and bruises. 5hey spill their milk, don't hold their spoon properly, fall off their bikes, and come to bat in the bottom of the ninth with the winning run in scoring position and strike out. 0arents are continually correcting, instructing, and punishing, till we almost feel sorry for the kids. rowing up is tough< If kids are going to become mature, they have to keep going in spite of mistakes and rebukes. %nd someday they will look back on their own childish mistakes and 7ust smile. "ikewise, new converts will make many mistakes and must often be told they are wrong. Some o! the greatest Bible characters committed terrible errors and had to be rebuked" K Moses made excuses when od called him to lead Israel out of bondage. K 9avid committed adultery with Bathsheeba and was rebuked by >athan. K 0eter denied 4esus three times. K 0aul persecuted .hristians before his conversion. K 5homas doubted 4esus' resurrection. K %ll the apostles forsook 4esus when Be was arrested and crucified. Matthew +::/+-/1 - (hortly after he had confessed 4esus and been highly praised "v+,-+2#, 0eter contradicted 4esus and was severely rebuked. 2et all o! these are remembered as some o! God's greatest ser+ants" reat servants are not people who live without ever sinning, but people who learn from their mistakes and go on to serve od faithfully. 4udas betrayed 4esus and is remembered as a traitor. 0eter denied 4esus three times and is remembered as a great apostle. $hat is the differenceC 4udas, after betraying 4esus, hung himself. 0eter, after denying 4esus, repented and went to work preaching the gospel. 0roverbs /6:+ - % person is destroyed, not simply because he errs, but because he becomes stubborn when he is rebuked and will not repent. $hat is needed is repentance and patience to learn to do right. Conclusion 5he story is told of a little boy who fell out of bed. %sked what happened, he said, !I guess I 7ust stayed too close to the gettin'-in place.! 5hat is exactly why many people fall away from od after their conversion - they stay too close to the !gettin'-in! place and do not grow to maturity. It is no shame to be a baby, if you were born a few months ago. But if a person has been a child of od for several years and has not grown, he has a problem. )veryone needs to grow as a .hristian, and everyone can grow, if he8she simply applies the Bible principles of growth. !ote' If you wish to study further about topics mentioned in this lesson, please note the links listed below.